Fortia, Maisara, Zerus and Sceo returo the quiet Pantheon. Cold bodies, dour men, heavy stretchers. Charred marble, sullen magis, shifting stones. Stoles, bleak archivists, tapping checklists. Remorseless sun, still winds, red streets.

  Mountain, silent.

  Neneria sighed as she looked out over the horde of masses that had e to tral Requisitions. It was over. They had officially won the war at this point, the Pantheon simply hadn’t announced a stateme, but it was over. Their armies were retreating, Neneria herself had attacked them at Olympiada, Iliyal had freed the on Divihey were being handed out to the Epan Govers now. Neneria sighed as she looked at the setting sun. That was a far prettier sight thahrongs of people Arascus had invited.

  Her eyes went from the vivacious purples, the brilliant reds, the animated es in the sky to the rows of tables. A swarm of souls, twenty three thousand, six hundred, eleven. That many to the dot, Neneria didn’t have to t, she could simply feel them. She sighed as she looked at her bck dress. Arascus had picked it out for her, it was as she liked it. With ravehers and all. She sighed, csped her hands behind her back, iwined her fingers, and smiled. It was always like this at parties, she was a Divine of Arascus, so her attending was not an option, and he would make it up to her ter. She knew he would, he always did. But that didn’t mean she had to enjoy it.

  She feigned a smile, small. Pleasant hopefully, although she didn’t care much. The Goddess of Death was a title where even the inkling of a lip curving upwards would be cmoured at. Fireworks were bei off, Binturongs and Lemurs were trundling around as soldiers showed them off to the politis and civilians and cameras. One, she knew, was focused exclusively on her. She wondered what they hoped to catch. She wasn’t Fer, she wouldn’t embarrass herself in front of an audience. “You’re ecstatic today.” Kassandora said. Neneria didn’t catch her approach over the songs and cheers and fireworks. Neneria turned for a moment, HAUPT suit, as was expected. Kassie in a dress was rarer than Fer.

  “As good as you.” Neneria said and Kassie ughed.

  “It’s work.” Kassandora said quietly. “So I ’t pin.”

  “Is it?” Kassandora o the camera crews. Arascus was taking an interview with some politis with a swarm of reporters and a dozen cameras around him.

  “It is.” Kassandora said. “Not my field of expertise, but war all the same.” Neneria’s lips curled upwards as she thought of a way to annoy Kassandora.

  “Hearts and minds Kassie. Hearts and minds.” She said, Kassandora only looked at her in fusion.

  “And?” She said.

  “I’m just saying.” Neneria said. “Not your field of expertise.” She saw that slight jump of Kassandora’s eyebrows, the tightening of her cheeks, the smiling being forced.

  “Pleasant as always.” Kassandora said. Was it bad? Neneria did not know, nor did she care too much. She immediately felt better though. “Have you had a dri?” Kassandora asked.

  “I’ve not.”

  “Oh?” Kassandora immediately turned and waved her hand to a waiter in a nice suit, picked out by Helenna. Naturally, one came about immediately. A pte full of gsses in one hand, another full of bottles iher. She took two of the bottles of hard Kirinyaan rum, and two gsses. “We don’t want to be drinking from bottles now, do we?” Neneria sighed. She always made a fool of herself when she drank. She watched as Kassandora put one of the bottles beside her on the ground and popped the other open with her thumb.

  And Neneria ended up with a gss in her hand and ay bottle besides her. She felt the burn within her and she looked down at Kassandain. “Do you know what’s annoying about you?” Neneria said and Kassandora sniffed in humour.

  “A great many things I imagine.”

  “The fact I’m drunk and your cheeks aren’t even rosy yet.” Kassandora turo Neneria and made great big eyes.

  “You?” She made a show of iing Neneria’s face. “Drunk? Never. I’ve not seen it.” Neneria scowled and fihe rest of the drink.

  “I’m as drunk as a skunk.” Neneria said and Kassandora burst out in ughter. She reached around to pat Neneria on the back.

  “I’ll send Fer over to you Nene.”

  “Why?” Of all people, why did Fer always get sent to her?

  “Because you need someoo cheer you up.” Kassandora said smugly. “And as you said, hearts and minds, not my field of expertise.” Neneria sighed and looked at her empty gss. She shouldn’t have picked a battle with Kassie, this was something she wouldn’t be able to win. Silly silly. She wanted a minor Divio bully.

  “Please don’t.”

  “I heard please do.” Kassandora replied, devilishness rife ione. Annoying! Annoying and annoying! Neneria sighed as she looked into her empty gss. Wait. Didn’t Kassie take two? But then she’d have to ask. But it was her sister though! Why shouldn’t she ask?

  “Where’s the other bottle?” That came out ruder than she wanted, but it got the point across. Kassandora only chuckled as she picked up the bottle by her feet and ha to Neneria. Off came the er holding back the cork. Neneria blinked. Corked rum! How high css! She pushed the cork open off and instead she end off. And then stared at the bottle.

  “Cssic.” Kassandora said as she snatched the rum out of Neneria’s hands. A knife came out of a pocket, and she stabbed it into the top. “How you mao survive before us, I don’t know.”

  “Do you know who I am?” Neneria asked and then blihat was her usual phrase, but it was Kassie, of course-

  “No Nene, I do not know who you are.” Kassandora replied sarcastically. The cork only slid further in. Kassandora sighed and gave up. She turned and looked at Neneria. “How drunk are you?”

  “Not drunk enough.” Neneria replied and Kassandora chuckled.

  “Let’s fix that then.” She hahe back to Neneria. What exactly did she want doing? Neneria couldn’t drink thi- A swipe of Kassandora’s k the bottle’s neck sent the gss flying off, cork and all. Neneria blinked, realised she had been swung at, and yelped backwards, spilling the rum over her hand. Kassandora caught the bottle as Neneria took a step back.

  “Warn me ime!” Neneria shouted. Kassandora looked ihe bottle with a smile. One hahe bottle, the ave the knife a fshy spin and it disappeared somewhere.

  “Faster this way.” She peered in from a different dire. “No gss inside, you drink it.” Neneria took the bottle and poured herself a gss. Full, all the way to the rim. “Proud to be of service.” Kassandora said.

  “You didn’t even do anything.” Neneria said as she sniffed her gss and took a swig.

  “I’m on break right now.” Kassandora said. “So nanny duty.”

  “Nanny duty?” Neneria asked. “What are you even talking about?” Kassandora chuckled in that smug way only she could. She actually leaned up to pat Neneria on the shoulder. How patronizing!

  “Don’t worry about it Nene, you wouldn’t get it.”

  Jozef, Wissel, Aimone, Artois and Richard ehe farm that had been taken over by the Lubskan Gover in order to house the on Divines. Olonia close behind them. Thirty Divines were hidden here, and it was only time to share them out.

  Anassa sat o Essa on one reat brahe fortress was brimming with flowers and fruit. Two pairs of legs under skirts, one blue, one red, kig the empty air as they watched the throngs of masses party underh them. Bright lights, fireworks, a beautiful sky, ashes and jungle in the distance. Mountains that were rumbling with ndslides behind them. “It’s like watg a horde of ants.” Anassa said and Essa chuckled.

  “You’re right about that.” Essa said quietly from o her. Arascus had said that Essa wasn’t to be left unattended, but si was Anassa’s directive that she stay alive, it was her responsibility. She had another copy of herself down on the ground ingratiating herself with the politis and celebrities anyway, so she wasn’t missing out.

  “Do you want a drink?” She held her arm out, ready to grasp the bottle the Anassa on the ground was holding.

  “Never did it y mind you would even offer.” Essa said and Anassa scoffed. She put her arm back down.

  “Well if you’re like that.” Anassa scoffed and Essa ughed.

  “You’ve not ged a bit.”

  “Hard to ge when there’s nothio improve.” Essa burst out in ughter, clutg her sides, legs kig in the air.

  “Not o!” She finally shouted. It took a moment to calm down and then Essa finally acquiesced. “Alright, bring a drink.”

  “Well now you’re demanding one.” Anassa said and Essa chuckled again.

  “Oh great and noble Anassa.” Essa said sarcastically, even g her hands together as if she raying. “Please, deign the Goddess of Magic with a drink.” Anassa rolled her eyes at the mockery, but frankly, she wanted a drink herself. The bottle down there disappeared, and it blinked into the Anassa’s hand up here.

  “I could never get that trick.” Essa said.

  “It’s easy once you figure it out.”

  “Everything is easy once you figure it out.” Anassa clicked her to was annoying that she couldn’t find a way to disagree with that statement. She wao, but only because it came a mouth that wasn’t her own.

  “Here.” A small light of red popped the cork off a it falling to the ground.

  “No gsses?” Essa asked.

  “Are you a child?”

  “I’m not an alcoholic.”

  “The bottle is here, I’m not getting gsses.”

  “’t or won’t?” A gss immediately appeared in Anassa’s hand. She showed it off to Essa and then dropped it towards the ground. More fireworks went off in the distance. “Wow.” Essa’s tone was as ft and dead as the fields of ash aroural Requisitions, but she took the bottle. “You really are the exact same.” She took a swig. Another. A third. A fourth. How much did woman drink?

  “Hey!” Anassa shouted and pulled it out Essa’s mouth and looked at the tents. HALF! She actually downed half the bottle! “How much do you drink?”

  “I’ve built up a tolerance.” Essa said as she ughed and y down. “Besides, we’re Divihat’s not even a lot.”

  “You should see Neneria.” Anassa y dowo her. Just branches and leaves above them. That wasn’t a view at all. Anassa snapped her fingers, a n of red light shot upwards, and the branches were goo reveal a hole. They both looked through it, stars on a purple and dark blue sky.

  “I was about to suggest that.”

  “You could have do yourself.” Anassa said.

  “Could have, should have, would have.” Essa snapped back quickly. Anassa rolled her eyes, it was annoying she couldn’t think of a retort to that either.

  “How did you even st in the White Pahat long with that attitude?”

  “I sted lohan you would have.” Essa answered quickly.

  “Fantastic.” Anassa replied. They fell silent for a moment, Essa broke the silence.

  “So what are you going to do now?” She asked.

  “I don’t know.” Anassa replied.

  “Mmh.” Essa made some wordless sound of affirmation. Anassa thought she should expin, she didn’t know why, there was no reason to expin herself to anyone. Maybe apart from Arascus. But Essa… she was on that level.

  “Battle pns are Kass’s responsibility.” Essa sniffed in humour.

  “Responsibility?” She asked.

  “I used the correct word.”

  “I’m just questioning how you, of all people, allow someone else decide for you.”

  “She’s better at it than me.” Anassa replied. She waited for a reply that never came. Eventually, she turo iigate what Essa was doing. Two blue sapphire eyes were staring at her in almost awe, mouth slightly open. “What?”

  And Essa gave a slow reply, her voice full of awe. “You have ged.”

  Asna looked around at who she had been chosen with. Not Labrys, that feeling leasant at first, then it became irritating. Frankly, she wao show off to Labrys more. She looked at Bessy and crossed her arms. Why? Why? Of all the nations Bessy could have been assigo, why was it not Labrys who got this upstart junior and her instead? Too te now.

  And it wasn’t the end of the world. Not after Iliyal had quietly expihe situation to her.

  Fer tested the crate with her tail. It wasn’t too heavy. In fact, it wasn’t heavy whatsoever, she didn’t have to be so delicate with it. She te steps, smile on her face, as she made her way through the crowd. A wave to one camera, a smile to another, a funny face to a third. Parties, she always ehe song and dance of it all, the people, everything. But those were parties with Divines or with her beastmen, with people who had grown fortable with her.

  Now, she was the Goddess of Beasthood, people were talking off the feats she performed on the Zalewski’s eastern front. It wasn’t even a boast, her ears could pick them out as they swivelled in different dires. Great Fer, who saved someone’s brother. Amazing Fer, who made sure a father’s son would return home. Powerful Fer, who singlehandedly defeated a team of a dozen battlemages. Fer adopted a smug smile as she strolled, arms behind her ba that way Kassandora walked when she showed off. Large steps, golden main whistling behind her, a crate on vodka held up by her tail. She knew where to go, a quick phone call in advance from one of the two dozen tacts in her phone made sure of that, but she still took the long way around to listen to stories about herself. At the end of the day, she liked the praise, it was as if Arascus was scratg her on the .

  But how much praise could one person take? Fer stopped and listeo aory about herself. Awesome Fer, who had saved some soldier’s team and then wiped out three Padin brigades. She o herself a up the walk. It was good. It was fine. But there was little to ent on with speeches like that, the most she could do is bow and make a joke.

  But she knew were the people who would be pining where. And if there was ohing more fun listening to people sing her praises, then it was listening to others bemoan their sorry lots in life. The crowds parted naturally for her, she was twice the size of the tallest humaire men could stand upright in her shadow and not see the moon. So she walked smoothly past the tables as waiters nimbly manoeuvred around her.

  Her beastmen had their own table, they were having a bst with some dancers and plenty of meats being roasted on campfires. The drinks had started to flow early in the day, and a warm stomach burned with a bravery that would make even heroes of legends blush. Men were ing up to talk to them, that was good, she didn’t like when they were excluded. But her beastmen, she could always talk to.

  These men though. She saw on a blue moon, and they were unsung heroes that deserved their own praises. “Lads!” Fer shouted. She stopped in front of a Binturong. A vehicle that had ged the world, that everyohought was a wondrous marvel, and ohat had songs it did not deserve. A man was sitting on it, having a smoke, ay gss o him. A Cleric assigo the engineering corps. He looked down at Fer, blinked, and his face lit up with a smile.

  “FER!” He shouted. “How’ve you been?” He immediately said as slid off the mae’s top and onto the ashen ground. The meics closer to the giant trees of CR were actually getting attention from the cameras and publid politis, but these were quite lonely, poputed only by the meics. Fer looked up at the vehicle as other Clerics appeared from the vehicle. One man from the cockpit, awo from underh, they had gambling cards stig out of their pockets.

  “You know you know.” Fer replied, she made a funny face, leaned her head from side to side. “War and fire.” She shrugged. “Standard business, I’ve been all smiles.” The men ughed. Jeffrey fihe cigarette and stamped it down. “And you boys?”

  “I’ve been sidering asking to be assigned on the frontlines.” One of the meics said, another face Fer reised from the Recmation War, a man called Thomas. All of them were in their full Clerical kit, green clothes underh topped off with silver armour, finely polished too.

  “You boys are shining today.” Fer said and tutted ically, she wagged a fi them. “Not good that, I’ll tell Kassie you’re sg off.”

  “Fug Hell, you do that.” Jeffrey said as he came to shake her hand. She made sure to be as delicate as possible. “I’ll shove one of these up your ass.” Jeffrey pointed behind himself with a thumb and a closed fist. Fer burst out in ughter. This is what she had e for. No one else would speak to her like that.

  “Mine?” Fer looked up at the Binturong. It had been repainted, and fgs were hanging off the barrel. Ausa’s and Kirinyaa’s tricolour, and Kassandora’s red one. She shook her head. “Won’t fit, apologies for not being as experienced as you in this department.” The meics all burst out in ughter. “I’ve brought something.”

  “What?” One of the meics said excitedly. Fer made a show of looking around, she turned her head, she spun on the spot. Her tail moved with her.

  “Oops!” Fer said sarcastically, fag the crowds in the distance. “I think I’ve lost it.” Her tail gently put the crate of rum down. She turned again and made a ically shocked expression. “Oh! There it is!” The bottles were handed out: To this team, to the one from the Binturong over, to the team that had been assigned on standing by the wheeled Lemur artillery too. And ohe meics got to drinking, the fun started. They sat in a circle and Fer listeo them share their stories with a beaming smile.

  “That fug piece of shit!” A man shouted, a new one, not a Cleric this one. Fer sipped on her own bottle. The garage was truly an amazing pce, seemingly any man could be pced into it and e out the exact same as they all were. “That ohat one!” He poi the Binturoo them. “Fug Sokolowski sent it back six times! six fug times!”

  “You have to give them a sma the way out or they keep ing back.” Fer said and the meics all ughed.

  “No way six times. You just ’t fix for shit.” Another meic said. “Mine, I saw once.”

  “Fuck off Lemur boy.” Mhter.

  “I meant it! We fug started scratg the armour to mark repairs.”

  “Wait till I report you for sabotage.”

  “I’ll fug drive your stupid fug Lemur over with my tracks.” Fer burst out in ughter, she didn’t even know why. It was simply funny.

  “No no no.” Another meic came in. “All of you think you have it bad, no, fuck off. You’ve not seen the worst of it.”

  “What’s worse than this rotting piece of shit?” A man poio the huge Binturoo them.

  “KAF.”

  “Fuck off KAF are great. You ever see a Raptor break down?” One man spoke up.

  Each member of every team had his own colourful curse of choice for the man assigo Raptor repairs. “Fug Hell, you’re not even one of us! The fuck do you even do? k o eight hours a day and then just put fuel iank?”

  “Fuck off I have a girlfriend.”

  “Yeah she’s the whole team’s.” Mhter. Fer clutched her ribs to tain herself. She finished her bottle and took another one from the crate.

  “No, KAF are dogshit.”

  “Dogshit is parked right here.”

  “The pnes, when they came in, we fug had to repce the aluminium because it was rotting. You ever see aluminium rot you cretin?” He pulled out his phone and showed them all a picture. Even Fer. She made rge eyes although frankly, to her, it simply looked like a rancidly dirty steel.

  “I’ve seen that before!”

  “Where? You fucks get stainless steel.”

  “Raptor-boy’s girlfriend!”

  Maisara read through the report of what occurred at Drayim. She felt her stomach hit a brick for the third time. First time was when Fortia said she would announce Peacekeeping a failure. Sed when they realised Neneria had beeo Olympiada. Third when she saw Drayim had been attacked.

  And just now, her stomach sank again. Fourth time today. Drayim was ohing. But the Divines kept underh Drayim? Oh no.

  Iniri stood in the tre of a crowd. She couldn’t remember the st time she did this. Before, she’d have to ask Alsaria for permission. Now, she had actually gone up, clutg her green dress, to ask Arascus for permission. He had merely raised an eyebrow and questioned why she even asked. And Iniri had stood there, gone as red as a ripe apple, and quickly skittered away.

  A dozen trees were around her, breag through the soil close to d tinuously produg fruit. One for apples, another fes, bananas, pears, ane a winding willow, but on it was a thick grapevine. People would bow, would smile, would ugh, would pick the fruit, would tell her it was the most delicious fruit they had ever tasted.

  That was enough to make her happy for the night, but then a little boy came up to her. “Miss Iniri?” He asked. His parents were behind him, all Kirinyaans, skinny, most likely refugees from the top, although their clothes were if not fashiohey had obviously put some effort in to be here. Iniri squatted down with a gentle smile.

  “Yes sweetheart?” She made her tone as gentle as she could.

  “I…” He began and started to blush. Then turned and raced back to his mother. Iniri merely kept posture as she watched his parents reassure him for a moment. The boy turook a deep breath, and walked with careful steps to Iniri.

  “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything.” Iniri turned and her eyes bulged in surprise. Anassa was standing in the air, red dress gently carried in the breeze as bright fshes of red light shot from within the leaves of the e tree and es darted into an arm cupped arouomach. Anassa turned and saw Iniri catch her. She looked at the es. At the tree. At Iniri.

  And then the Goddess of Sorcery went bright red that she had been caught i. “They’re good.” Anassa quickly said. And Anassa disappeared, es and all. Iniri ughed to herself and held out an arm, a pliment from Anassa was something she would share with Kavaa and Helenna ter. A vine carried one of the apples into her palm and she turned back to the boy. He was staring with awe at the moving pnts.

  “Do you want an apple?” The boy nodded and Iniri gave it to him. He clutched it to his chest and took a deep breath, cheeks going as red as the skin of the fruit he was holding.

  “Miss Iniri.” He said carefully again.

  “Yes dear?” She asked.

  “I… I-I talked with Miss Kavaa.” He said. “A-A-And… she said…” He closed his eyes and spoke very quickly. “Please--you-make-me-a-lion-toy?!” It was a half shout. The boy opened his eyes when he heard Iniri ugh.

  “Of course!” Iniri said. “Since you asked me so nicely, and you were brave enough to ask yourself.” The magic was already w, and what was a simple wooden toy for her? A stick slowly grew out of the ground, she made sure to put on a show for the boy, with the branches curving and swirling through the air, then making a geurn. “Put your hands out dear.”

  The boy quickly put the apple into his pocket and put his arms out as the end of the branch made a ball. Ball turned into torso, fs sprouted out the bottom, a tail, a mouth, a r lion. It shed the bark, a thin yer of sap covered it, quickly dried out to give it a shine and protect it from the air. “Ready?” Iniri asked.

  The boy nodded and the tiny piece of wood holding the lion snapped. It fell into the boy’s hands. He looked at it in awe, squealed in joy, and then ran back to his parents. Iniri watched them for a moment as she stood up and got back to tending the trees. A few more fruits were grown, and she felt somethily poke her leg. She turned and looked down. It was the little boy again. She quickly sed for the parents, they were holding the lion toy and watg their child and the Goddess with proud, bright smiles. “Ah-Ah-Ah.” He spluttered out some sylble-less words, then gave up, and hugged her leg.

  And in that moment, Iniri realised all those years she had chosen the wrong team. People cried, people thanked her, people sang songs for her, but never had this happened. She blihe water on her eyes away and sighed, then squatted down to the boy’s height and held her arms out. That r.

  And with that ooy, another child came. An eagle firl. A sculpture of his parents for another boy. A rhinoceros. A tree. A house. Another lion. The lion was very popur here, as was the rhino. Tiny little wooden toys that made sure these little children would never fet her.

  But then came a girl, maybe ten, maybe eleven. Blushing and looking everywhere but at Iniri. With long dark hair and arms fidgeting by her sides. “Miss Iniri?”

  “Yes sweetheart?”

  “Please…” She looked down, took a deep breath, looked up a Iniri’s eyes with a childish attempt at fidence. “Please Miss Iniri I have little figurine of you?” In that moment, Iniri couldn’t stop her oy tears from making two thin streams down her cheeks.

  “How bad is the situation?” Fortia asked Maisara.

  “It’s bad enough for me to say I ’t actually think of anything worse that could have happened.”

  Kavaa eventually found Olephia, she was stood painting on a baly of CR. She didn’t know why, but she always wao meet Olephia. She knew Helenna and Iniri did too, and they had, but it was always with someone else. That short meeting had quelled the curiosity in them, but not in Kavaa. The Goddess of Chaos was stood before a giant wooden wall, perfectly smoothed with sap, and brushing away with her paints.

  Kavaa said nothing, she merely stood there and watched. It was mesmerizing, beautiful. She had seen Olephia’s paintings before, all of them have. How could they not? Almost every national gallery had a painting of hers still preserved behind gss, the White Pantheon’s own museum had more than a hundred of them. But to see one being made? Olephia stood there, music pying, lost in her own thoughts, rolling her head from side to side, tapping her foot to the beat, rolling her hips during the chorus aly guiding the brush from side to side.

  She was drawing the entire se before her, the fields of ash, the silhouettes of crumbling mountains, the throngs of people, the tables arrahe helicopters in the air. Pnes on the ground, trucks parked in long lines, every tiny little detail, popping and brought to life. She spun, a wide smile on her face, saw Kavaa and stopped suddenly.

  The smile did not drop, but she put messy palette, different colours mixed into a thousand different hues carefully, the dipped her paintbrush in a cup of water carefully brushed it off. “Sorry for interrupting.” Kavaa said slowly. Now that she was here, she really didn’t know what to say.

  This was Olephia. The Goddess of Chaos. The one who’s throat broke atoms apart. Who had annihited the Jungle’s Caretaker with a single word. And now she stood before Kavaa. Titles were not necessary for Olephia. Olephia was simply The Olephia. In a dark dress as if she was ready to go for a dance, although admittedly it did have a few specks of paint here and there across the front. Her arms and hands were just as dirty. And Olephia skipped to a nearby table, dipped her hands in another bowl of clear water, wiped them down on her dress, and pulled out a notepad.

  Kavaa! She said showed the text to Kavaa and then wrote some poor. Heavens above, she really did have pretty handwriting. What brings you here?

  “I just wao talk…” Kavaa said and realised what she just said. Olephia smiled and wrote a reply.

  Do not worry, this is how I talk.

  “I…” Kavaa was at a loss for words. “I just wao see what you were doing.” Olephia smiled smugly. Her pen worked quickly.

  Curious about the Goddess of Chaos?

  “I suppose I am.”

  I’m an open book. Not much to hide.

  “I suppose not.” Kavaa replied. Olephia turedly to the painting she was w on, showing it off with both hands, notepad aill held in her hands, her smiled showed off perfect white teeth. And then she wrote a reply.

  Do you like it?

  “I think it’s geous.” Kavaa said. Holy, this wasn’t so bad.

  The purples were hard to mix. I used blue and red, but added a tiny bit of bck. Olephia ripped the paper off and ha to Kavaa, then wrote more. She didn’t care much for the lihat had e printed on the paper. That was too dark, so I made it lighter, then I actly smudged it with e but I think the shade came out really niormally you mix too many together and you get death brown.

  “Death brown?” Kavaa asked and Olephia nodded excitedly.

  Death brown because it’s the death of a painting. Better thah grey, or death bck. That’s just gone! Finito! Caput! Kavaa ughed at the text. I used a pencil to draw it first, have you seen my sketches?

  “I’ve not.” Kavaa said. Olephia walked over to the over side of Iniri’s wall and picked up a rge book. She flicked open a few pages, tapped owice, poi Kavaa, then showed it off. And Kavaa was looking at… herself. A perfect version of herself, in bd white, it was a simple sketch after all. But…

  Wow.

  She looked at herself holding a bde, the ill and sickly behind her. A line of Clerics before her, but it was her. Olephia wrote something more in her notepad. Do you like it?

  “That’s brilliant.” Kavaa replied. “How? When did you do it? Without a reference?” Olephia made a smug smile and put her fio her lips. “It’s a secret?” Kavaa asked and Olephia hen wrote some more text. Fer likes taking pictures. She takes pictures of everything.

  “She has pictures of me?”

  She has pictures of everyone. Olephia smiled and she quickly wrote a reply. Holy, I don’t even know why, her memory is perfect.

  “What? Does she have them of me sleeping too?” Olephia made a smug smile.

  She’ll get them if I ask

  “Don’t ask.” Kavaa said. “Please?”

  Well since you asked so politely I’ll save you. And Olephia scrawled some more. Do you want a drink?

  “You drink!?” Kavaa holy could not even tain herself. She had expected to be surprised. All of Arascus’ daughters were pletely different than what she expected, but not this!

  Of course I drink! Olephia wrote quickly. Do you know any Divihat doesn’t? Kavaa chuckled for a moment. Actually now that Olephia said it, she didn’t know a single one. Even Maisara drank. What do you like?

  “I like Whiskeys and Rums. Gin too.” Olephia nodded with eae. Her reply came quickly.

  Predictable.

  “PREDICTABLE!?”

  All doctor’s drinks. You’re an open book. Olephia smiled. What do you think I drink?

  “I holy have no clue.”

  Guess! Kavaa looked Olephia up and down. She was smiling aed, boung from foot to foot. What would she drink?

  “Vodka?” Kavaa asked. Olephia smiled and shook her head.

  I like that you didn’t overthink it. She wrote some more. Close, Fer is the only ohat got closer than you. She walked behind her bored and brought out a rge gss. Already half of it was gone. And it was filled with… Kavaa stared at whatever that was… was that even drinkable? It looked like brown sludge. Why did it have a sistency?

  “What the fuck is that?” Kavaa said, then put her hands to her mouth when she realise she swore. Olephia smiled, closed her eyes, and took a silent sip. Then ha to Kavaa and made a drinking motion. Kavaa stared at the… she had made medies that looked better! And medies were supposed to be disgusting! Kavaa took a sigh, and tasted it.

  Coffee. Vodka. e juice. Apple juice too. Tiny amount of coffee. Good amount of vodka. The juices overpowered the bitter taste, although the vodka was obviously not a good brand. There was something spicy too, pepper? No, something like peppers instead. Kavaa swirled it around her mouth and drank. It wasn’t bad actually. She looked at the mixture. “ I have some more?” Olephia blinked in surprise, her mouth finally opened and she closed it.

  You like it?

  “It’s not the worst thing I’ve ever tasted.” Kavaa took another sip. It holy wasn’t terrible, although she had never been a picky eater or a picky drinker. She even drank the herbiest gins straight.

  It’s a joke. Olephia made a circle around her wall and brought back two gsses. Then again. A bottle and a handful es. I make them bad on purpose. She looked at Kavaa. Does your tongue work?

  “It’s holy not the worst thing I ever drank.” Olephia made an impressed face.

  Well you’re the first ohen. Olephia wrote quickly. I just mix e juid vodka normally.

  “Iniri has goes.” Kavaa said. Olephia beamed a smile as she wrote a reply down.

  I know! I get Anassa t me them! They’re really sweet! Not too sour either!

  “Have you ever tried her tangerines?”

  She grow tangerines?

  “She’s Iniri, what ’t she grow?” Kavaa said. She knew Olephia liked sweets, that was already odd enough. “But her tangerines are really sweet. I think you’d like them.” Kavaa said as Olephia ripped an e apart with her hands. The vodkas were already poured, these were a better brand, and the e juice filled up the cup.

  And now that they were talking, Kavaa actually found Olephia’s pany quiet pleasant. She was much easier to spend time with than any of them. Kassandora always kept her ooes, Anassa was just terrible. Arascus was overp, Fer was funny, but Fer was mischievous and she got annoying too. And Neneria… In this versation, Kavaa probably exged more words with Olephia than she had the entire since she met Neneria. And Olephia, destructive Goddess of Chaos, the force of Uion, simply talked.

  “Ten time-“ Olephia silenced Kavaa by pressing a fio her lips. She cupped her other hand to her ear. “Listen?” Olephia nodded and leaned over the baly. Kavaa leaned with her. There was a song in a terribly delicate voiing from below. Olephia smiled, closed her eyes, and swayed her head to the music.

  “That’s Neneria?” Olephia he reply came quickly.

  Kassie promised me she’d get o sing.

  “She is a good singer.”

  Everyone says that.

  “It’s true.”

  That, it is.

  And so they stayed, and listened. And Kavaa would never fet this night. She doubted any of them would.